Renal capsule
Layer surrounding kidney
title: "Renal capsule" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["kidney-anatomy"] description: "Layer surrounding kidney" topic_path: "science/biology" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renal_capsule" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Layer surrounding kidney ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox anatomy"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Renal capsule |
| Latin | capsula fibrosa renis |
| image | Blausen 0592 KidneyAnatomy 01.png |
| caption | The kidney capsule surrounds both kidneys, and is labelled at the bottom right. |
| image2 | Gray1126.png |
| caption2 | Cross-section, showing the positioning of the kidney capsule |
| :: |
|name = Renal capsule |Latin = capsula fibrosa renis |image = Blausen 0592 KidneyAnatomy 01.png |caption = The kidney capsule surrounds both kidneys, and is labelled at the bottom right. |image2 = Gray1126.png |caption2 = Cross-section, showing the positioning of the kidney capsule ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/3D_Medical_Animation_depicting_Kidney_Layers.jpg" caption="Different layers of kidney depicted in a 3D medical Illustration" alt="Different layers of kidney depicted in a 3D Medical Illustration"] ::
The renal capsule is a tough fibrous layer surrounding the kidney and covered in a layer of perirenal fat known as the adipose capsule of kidney. The adipose capsule is sometimes included in the structure of the renal capsule. It provides some protection from trauma and damage. The renal capsule is surrounded by the renal fascia. Overlying the renal fascia and between this and the transverse fascia is a region of pararenal fat.
The renal capsule resists stretching, limiting renal swelling, with important implications for renal circulation. Stretching of the renal capsule due to swelling of the kidney causes flank pain.
Structure
The renal capsule surrounds the functional tissue of the kidney, and is itself surrounded by a fatty adipose capsule, fascia, and fat. From the inner part of the kidney to outside the kidney, the positioning of the capsule is:
- renal medulla
- renal cortex
- renal capsule
- adipose capsule of kidney (or perirenal fat, or perinephric fat)
- renal fascia
- pararenal fat
- peritoneum (anteriorly), and transverse fascia (posteriorly).
Sometimes the adipose capsule of the kidney also known as the perirenal fat, is regarded as a part of the renal capsule.
References
References
- (2013). "Fundamental neuroscience". Elsevier/Academic Press.
- (2001). "Human physiology".
- "Flank Pain - Kidney and Urinary Tract Disorders".
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::